Rawyards residents rescue snowbound visitors

Jan 20 2010 by Judith Tonner, Airdrie & Coatbridge

RAWYARDS residents became snow angels as they helped rescue a visiting couple who became stuck while on a New Year nostalgia trip from south of the border.

Airdrie-born Matt Erskine decided to spend his birthday on January 1 visiting his family’s former homes, accompanied by his wife Eileen.

Both travelled north from their home in Coventry and found that the town centre addresses on Craig Street and Alexander Street had, respectively, been demolished and converted into an accountancy office.

They had more success at Hamilton Drive, where they found the former home of his maternal grandparents, the Watsons, and were even invited inside by the current owners.

On departing, though, they became entrenched in deep snow – and not only did nearby householders come to their aid, but the Erskines also met an old family friend.

Eileen said: “Disaster struck when we mistook the direction away from Hamilton Drive and became horribly embedded in the car park behind there and Reid Street.

“Had it not been for the help of some delightful residents, I doubt we could have driven the car out before the snow thawed.

“We thank the lovely lady from Reid Street who was the first to offer help, and as an added bonus we found that she knew Matt’s family from years ago.

“Huge thanks also to her neighbours, Dylan, his dad and brother, and two other nameless heroes; and we hope the man from Hamilton Drive, who had flu and couldn’t help dig, got back the spade which he kindly offered us!

“We want to register our real appreciation of them as without their kind help we would have had an even bigger problem.

“Their kindness will not be forgotten and in fact, they are already part of family folklore – we had one of those disastrous experiences which become better with the telling!

“Sadly we don’t know the names of the majority of our helpers and are unable to write to thank them personally, but we hope they read this and recognise themselves.”